Why worry about hospital germs? Think about it: people with infections or communicable diseases show up at heath care facilities all the time. Everybody tries to keep things clean, including health care staff washing their hands many times a day, and cleaning staff sterilizing everything in sight. But bacteria are sneaky little guys, and every now and then a few survive on floors, door handles, or other places another person might pick them up.

A lot of these germs have gotten the chance to become resistant to antibiotics, which makes them dangerously hard to get rid of if they do manage to infect you. A recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine confirmed that this isn't just speculation -- patients really do bring drug-resistant bacteria home on their hands after staying in a hospital.